Cheetah, chimp from Tarzan films, dies

Maureen O'Sullivan and Johnny Weissmuller (l-r) as Jane and Tarzan in scene from movie "Tarzan Escapes"

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(CNN) -- Condolences poured in to a Florida primate sanctuary Wednesday following the death of Cheetah, a chimpanzee who starred in the Tarzan movies during the 1930s.

"I grew up watching Tarzan and Cheetah from a boy," a man identifying himself as "Thomas from England" wrote on the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary's website. "... God bless you Cheetah. Now you and Tarzan are together again."

The chimpanzee died Saturday after suffering kidney failure the week before, the sanctuary foundation said on the site. He was roughly 80 years old, Debbie Cobb, the sanctuary's outreach director, told CNN affiliate WFLA.